Behind the Mask
by LIFE the RANGER
Summary: Troy is the East High Golden Boy; Ryan is the East High Drama King. One faithful day brings the two together. Both come to a realization, but they hide it from each other. Is there more than meets the eye with these two? TRYAN! Rated M for themes.


_Hey Fanfic world. First HSM fanfic, and first shot at Tryan. So be nice!_

…

Troy wiped the perspiration that was forming on his brow away, one hundred percent focused on the basket. It might have been a solo practice, but invisible foes were everywhere, and it was Troy's job to avoid them all. He feigned left, spun right, and made an easy lay-up. He pumped his fists in the air and paraded around in a sort of victory walk. He wasn't East High's finest, it's golden boy, for nothing. Of course, practicing until he was out of breath was brutal. But he needed the practice to be the best.

Unknown to the golden boy, someone was observing the private practice from the shadows of the bleachers, which for some reason they always kept pulled out. Ryan Evans, East High's drama king and loyal follower to his slightly older twin sister Sharpay, lurked in the shadows, studying the dark-haired incredibly tan all-star athlete. Not that he made a habit of doing this. He just found himself with unwanted free time, and then eventually found himself in the gym, watching Troy score point after point. He looked absolutely sexy; long, lithe body stretched out as he made another lay-up, sweat glistening off his well-toned muscles…

_Whoa nelly_, he thought. _East High's golden boy certainly didn't like boys, much less drama boys_. Even if he and Gabby got the leads in the musicale meant little. Basketball was his true love; in fact probably his only love. He was pretty sure he didn't even love Gabby as much as he loved basketball. The blonde sighed and turned his attention back to the muscled athlete. Troy knew the blonde was back there, and abruptly turned to face him.

"Ryan Evans," He called. "Get that ass out here where I can see it!" Ryan hesitated before stepping out from behind the bleachers. Ryan had the decency to look embarrassed, which the dark-haired boy found incredibly cute. He shook his head and forced himself to wear a scowl. "What, pray tell, are you doing here and not Tinsel Towne?" he asked. "I have my thing, and you have you're thing." Ryan looked at his bright white shoes, and the newsie style cap on his head almost fell off. Why he wore it Troy hadn't the slightest, but he always did. "Why don't you head back to the auditorium," he finally suggested gently to the blonde boy.

"No one's there," he replied softly. "Rehearsals are done and I don't want to go home yet. I've been wandering around for awhile and just found myself here." _Checking out your hot ass_, he thought, but didn't say. Why would he? East High's golden boy was straight as an arrow, through and through.

"Ry!" Troy shouted, and Ryan realized he'd been spacing off. Do you think the dark-haired boy was an idiot? He could see the blonde actors roaming eyes, and quite frankly, he liked the special attention. He flexed, without thinking about it, and saw the approving look on the blonde's face. "Wanna try one on one?" he asked, scooping up the ball at his feet. "Or are you scared Evans?" Before Troy could react, the blonde actor snatched the ball from his grasp and shot, swishing it through the net.

"In your dreams Bolton," he taunted, laughing. Troy stood with his mouth on the floor. Ryan laughed again and jogged after the ball. That seemed to snap the athlete back, and he overtook the actor quickly. He scooped up the ball and ran to the other side of the gym. Another big surprise came when Troy found Ryan blocking his way for three points. The blonde actor stole the ball, and, delivering the most surprising thing of all, shot from half court and made it in, the ball barely touching the rim. "Gosh Troy," he said innocently, widening his blue eyes. "I thought basketball was your thing. Why am I beating you?"

"Guess I'm just lost in thought," the athlete said. He was panting hard, yet the drama king didn't even seem to be out of breath. Ryan studied him with imploring eyes, and Troy sensed something wasn't as it seemed. This drama student seemed a little too athletic. "Hey Ry," he said, looking the blonde in the eye. "Have you ever practiced basketball before? And if you have, you're good enough to join the team." The drama king blushed and stared at his feet.

"I've dabbled in it a bit," he admitted to the floor. "Mom said I either had to choose theatre or sports. Sharpay forced me to choose theatre." He never told anyone that before, so why was he telling golden boy? Don't get him wrong, he loved the theatre, and his new goal was Julliard, but he did miss playing sports.

"You do baseball?" Troy said hesitantly, more of a question than anything. He'd overheard Sharpay mention it once or twice.

"Only during the summer," the blonde replied. "And only about two games. Nothing major. I also don't worship it." He tried to stop the tiny grin from forming on his mouth, and the athlete's mouth formed a perfect little 'o' of surprise. "You'll catch flies, and with the way you smell, they'll be swarming," he joked. Troy immediately closed his mouth. "At any rate," he continued without missing a beat. "I should head him. Shar's probably throwing a tantrum about me not being there to compliment her or something." Ryan turned away, but not before Troy saw a flash of…sadness. Come to think of it, the drama king always did seem kind of sad.

…

Safely at home, Ryan let his thoughts run a little wild. Why didn't he stay and watch Troy shower? He could've seen that incredibly tanned body lathered in soap; watched the hot, steamy water make its way down Troy's body with agonizing slowness; seen his bare ass even. He sighed at the thought. He really should've stayed to shower. Then at least it wouldn't be too awkward if he were staring.

"Ryan!" Sharpay snapped. Ryan jolted violently back to the present, and a scowl momentarily took over his face. He washed it away as quickly as it came. Last thing he wanted to do was show Sharpay exactly how pissed he was to be pulled away from his thoughts.

"What is it Shar?" he asked, trying to keep the venom out of his voice. All he wanted was to be able to go back to his fantasies. Sharpay shot him an annoyed look.

"What is it with you Ryan?" she asked rather snippety. "Got a boy on your brain at something?" Ryan groaned. He couldn't hide much from his sister. It was no secret (at least to her) that he was gay. No one else had a clue.

"Maybe," he replied finally for lack of better words to say. Sharpay waited with her arms crossed. "What?" he practically shouted. He was beyond irritated at this point. "What could you possible want?"

"The name of said boy," Sharpay said breezily. "I know one someone is on your brain; spill it." Ryan blushed and turned away from her. He didn't want to mention the golden boy. For reasons he clearly understood, he didn't want to give away any names. But Sharpay's prying eyes were starting to wear him down. He shifted from foot to foot, then tapped his toes restlessly.

"Alright!" he exploded. "I cave, I cave!" He took a deep breath. He couldn't believe he was about to do this. "It's Troy," he said quietly, shutting his eyes to block his sister's rebuttle. But for perhaps the first time ever, she looked like she had nothing to say.

"Ryan," she began in a very un-Sharpay way. "Don't bother okay. "He's as straight as you are gay. Don't get hurt." She exited, leaving Ryan to ponder that.

…

Troy stared out of his window, wondering what Ryan the drama king was up to now. Knowing how Sharpay was, he was complimenting her on some outfit or make-up choice or something funky he could never understand but Ryan seemed to. At that thought, troy sat bolt up right.

"God almighty above," he exclaimed. "Ryan is fucking gay!"

…

_Hope it's not a bad start. _


End file.
